Kitimat Demons eke out 4-3 win against Kings

This was a game that the Terrace River Kings probably deserved to win, despite opportunistic goals that gave the Kitimat Ice Demons a 3-1 lead going into the third period. That was extended to 4-1 early in the final period. The River Kings launched a comeback with with two goals, but could not get the tying score as Demons goaltender Tyson Craven and and some determined short-handed defensive blocking allowed the Demons to eke out a 4-3 win.

The Terrace River Kings seemed to want to avenge the recent 5-0 shutout in Kitimat and started fast – but promptly ran into some great goal tending by Tyson Craven that completely frustrated them. They out shot Kitimat 11-8 in the period, but went to the first intermission a goal down as Steven Venman finished off a good attacking play with Terry Whelan and Jon Aiken, who earned assists on the goal, which came seconds after Terrace returned to full strength after a two minute penalty to Garrett Kerr for interference. Both teams had three minors in the period.

Just 30 seconds into the second period, Derek Wakita slid a rebound from a Brandon Wakita shot behind Garrett Muir in the Terrace net and Kitimat did not get another shot in the period for about 12 minutes as the Kings went into a fierce attack. Steve Cullis finally capitalized with a wrap around after Craven made two great saves but was flat on the ice when Cullis hooked the puck into the corner. Assists went to Derek Jurista and Brian Lomas. Encouraged Terrace kept up the attack, but Kitimat finally got untracked and Derek DeLisser scored to return the two-goal lead on a power play, with just two minutes left in the period.

Four minutes into the third, Kyle Boudreault was johnny-on-the spot to push a loose puck over the line to make it 4-1, with assists to Ian Coleman and Derek Wakita. Kings surged again, and got a little closer making it 4-2 when a screen shot by Corbin Legros found its way through a crowd in front and eluded Craven. Assists went to Jeremy Vandenbroek and Rajan Sangha.

While the game was a rough one, it degenerated minutes later in the third leading to a fight between Kyle Boudreault and Terrace captain, Steve Cullis, with Cullis getting an instigator penalty as well as his five minutes and game misconduct. Boudreault was also ejected. Just prior to that fight,

Terrace’s Cameron Kerr was given a game misconduct for checking from behind.

Penalty totals were 36 minutes to Kitimat and 33 minutes to Terrace.

A multi-player collision the Demons’ end left Terrace’s Josh Murray down on the ice and after a lengthy discussion referee Tyler Noble gave Kitimat defender William DeJong a five minute penalty and a game for a head contact play. On the resulting power play, Corbin Legros got his second goal of the night (Rajan Sangha) and pressed hard for the equalizer. But Craven was seeing everything directed at his net after that, and in the final minute with the Terrace net empty, Brandon Wakita hit the post with a long shot, but the puck dropped in the crease and Kitimat defenders kept flipping the puck]k out until the final whistle. On Friday night the Smithers Steelheads extended their lead in the league to 14 points, winning their seventh game of the season 5-1 over the Houston Luckies and in Quesnel on Saturday, the Lac La Hache Tomahawks overcame an early two goal lead by the Kangaroos to edge Quesnel 6-5 in a rough back and forth encounter that saw 40 minutes in penalties assessed.